The Carlmont Scots varsity girls water polo team fell short against the Menlo-Atherton Bears on Oct. 27, with a final score of 12-5.
Senior June Wakefield scored a goal within the first five minutes of the game. The Scots continued with three goals in the third quarter, from senior Sanaa Bharadwaj, senior Madison Lobo, and sophomore Saaz Ghate. Wakefield wrapped up the fourth quarter with a final goal, bringing the score to five for the Scots.
“I was just really proud of my team, despite the score, and that we weren’t winning, they didn’t give up. They played hard all the way through the end of the game, which is really admirable,” said assistant coach Hunter Crawford-Shelmadine.
The Bears wasted no time establishing a strong offense, scoring most of their goals at the start of the match, with five in the first quarter. They continued a strong performance in the second quarter with three goals, then steadied down with two goals in each of the third and fourth quarters.
The Bears’ impressive technique allowed them to take the lead early on. Similarly, the Scots have prioritized practicing scoring during practices.Â
“We’re working on shooting specifically because some of our shots can be pretty weak. We try to get better angles and move around more when we’re playing,” said junior Chloe Ken.Â
Nearly half of the Carlmont team consists of sophomores who are new to varsity matches. Despite having eight seniors graduate last year, the players have learned to adapt and overcome these challenges.
The Scots practice for nine hours weekly, with early morning and late afternoon sessions that exemplify their dedication and hard work, showcasing continuous growth.
“We’re working on a lot of quick right back passes. We set up in front of the cage with our whole set and two people in an outside position, passing it back and forth to score a quick shot. They definitely used this during the game to score a couple of goals,” said assistant coach Megan Olazar.
The players and coaches agree that they’re working towards scoring more and winning more games, especially for the final match.
“We’re hoping for a couple more goals in each match. We have one more game left, which is senior night. We want to end with a good season,” said head coach Ciera Stratton.
No matter the score, water polo is more than just the outcome. Players agree that it fundamentally differs from other sports, such as swimming in the spring.
“I like water polo a lot more than swimming. It has more of a community aspect, and the team atmosphere is great at Carlmont,” Ken said.
Win or lose, the Scots show their determination through their rigorous improvement. After every game, coaches acknowledge the importance of consistency and progress of their players.
“Whether it be learning how to simply eggbeat water or improving upon certain skills, you can see a lot of improvement in the games,” said assistant coach Allegre Ferme. “We play each team twice, and comparing how we played the teams at the beginning of the season to how we’re playing them now, it’s like completely different teams.”
